Sharpening the Blade Against the Red Wall: From Hong Kong to Handong

The spring of 1979 was a long and agonizing time for the Zhou family in Kyoto.

News from the front lines was like a kite with a broken string, sometimes there, sometimes not. Occasionally, a few words would come from the military region, or a few scattered reports that my father, Zhou Chengbang, heard from the State Planning Commission. These became the most precious comfort to the whole family.

Seven-year-old Zhou Jin seemed to have grown up overnight.

He no longer pestered his grandfather for stories like before, nor did he run and play wildly with his cousins ​​Su Mingzhe and Chen Panpan. Every day after school, the first thing he did was run to his grandfather's study, stand on tiptoe, and examine the military map hanging on the wall—the southern battlefield circled in red became the place where his gaze lingered the longest.

"Dad, did you hear anything from Mom and Uncle today?" Zhou Jin always asked this question habitually at the dinner table.

Zhou Chengbang put down his chopsticks, his eyes showing a hint of fatigue, but he still forced himself to cheer up: "Not yet, but news from the front lines says the battle is progressing smoothly and our troops are fighting very bravely."

Zhou Jianguo put down his teacup and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, Weidong and Qinghe have both been tested, and Chen Dashan is also a veteran. They will take good care of themselves. All we can do is trust the country and trust them."

Even so, whenever Zhou Jin heard the urgent sound of military vehicles coming from the military compound late at night, he would still wake up from his dreams, run to his parents' room, and quietly listen to the sounds inside. He was afraid of hearing bad news, afraid that the urgent sound of vehicles was bringing terrible news.

Chen Panpan's life wasn't easy either. Her mother, Liu Hui, was in tears all day, and the atmosphere at home was so oppressive it was hard to breathe. Every day after school, Zhou Jin would take a detour to the Chen family home to sit with Chen Panpan for a while.

"Brother Jin, my mother said that Dad and the others on the front lines will not have enough to eat and will get hurt." Chen Panpan sat under the old locust tree in the yard, clutching the rag doll her father bought for her before he left, her eyes red.

Zhou Jin sat down beside her and, mimicking an adult, patted her shoulder: "No, Mommy is a doctor, she'll take good care of them. Besides, Uncle and Uncle Chen are both very capable, they'll defeat the enemy and be back soon."

"Really?" Chen Panpan looked up at him, her eyes full of anticipation.

"Really." Zhou Jin nodded heavily, but he wasn't sure himself. He knew how cruel this war was; in his previous life, he had seen countless heroic soldiers sacrifice their lives in historical records. But he didn't dare tell Chen Panpan these things, so he could only weave a beautiful hope with lies.

To cheer Chen Panpan up, Zhou Jin would tell her funny stories from school, teach her to read, and take her for walks on the military compound's parade ground. He told Chen Panpan that after the war, they could go to the park to fly kites together and eat Kyoto's most famous candied hawthorns.

With Zhou Jin by her side, Chen Panpan's smile gradually returned. Liu Hui felt a sense of comfort watching the two children support each other, and took Su Qinghe's mother's (Zhou Jin's maternal grandmother) hand, saying, "Auntie, it's fortunate that Jin'er is with Panpan, otherwise I really don't know how this child would have gotten through it."

Grandma Zhou sighed, "Both of these children are sensible and good children."

As the days went by, news from the front lines gradually began to come.

That day, Grandpa Su Tian suddenly returned home, his face showing signs of fatigue, but unable to hide his relief. As soon as he entered, he shouted, "Good news! Reports of a victory from the front lines! Wei Dong and Chen Dashan's unit has achieved a great victory, capturing a key enemy stronghold!"

The whole family erupted in excitement. Zhou Jin jumped up excitedly and ran to Su Tian's side: "Grandpa, are Uncle and Uncle Chen alright? Where's Mom?"

"It's alright, everything's fine!" Su Tian patted Zhou Jin's head, his tone full of pride. "Wei Dong and Chen Dashan both fought extremely bravely in the battle. They each led their troops at the forefront, working together to break through the enemy's stubborn defensive positions. They were both promoted to deputy brigade commanders on the spot! Moreover, the Central Committee has approved awarding them the title of 'First-Class Hero'! Qing He performed outstandingly at the field hospital, treating hundreds of wounded soldiers, and was also awarded a Third-Class Hero!"

Zhou Jin's tears instantly fell, this time tears of joy. He knew that his uncle and Uncle Chen were not only safe and sound, but had also been awarded first-class merit and promoted to deputy brigade commander, realizing their ambitions. And his mother had also completed her mission as a doctor on the front lines, receiving the honor she deserved.

A few days later, the family received the first letter from their mother.

The handwriting on the letter was somewhat messy and contained faint traces of blood, clearly indicating that it was hastily written in a break from a busy schedule.

"Chengbang, Jin'er: It's as if I'm seeing you in person as I read this. Conditions at the front are very tough, and there are many wounded. My colleagues and I often go for days and nights without sleep. But seeing the soldiers recover and be discharged from the hospital, returning to the battlefield, makes it all worthwhile. Weidong and Chen Dashan fought very bravely. I saw them once; they had both lost a lot of weight, but looked much more energetic. Please don't worry, I will take good care of myself and help look after them. When the war is over, I will definitely come home safely and make you your favorite braised pork. Jin'er, study hard, listen to your father and grandfather, and be a sensible and good child. Love, Qinghe."

Zhou Jin held the letter and read it over and over again, tears wetting the paper. He seemed to see his mother's busy figure in the field hospital, seeing her in her white coat, risking her own safety to save the wounded; he also seemed to see his uncle and Uncle Chen fighting side by side, charging into battle on the battlefield.

He picked up his pen and wrote a letter back to his mother. In the letter, he told his mother that he was doing very well at school and had been praised by his teacher; he told his mother that he and Chen Panpan were both very well-behaved and would take care of each other; he told his mother that he missed her very much and that he would give her a big hug when she came back.

After writing the letter, Zhou Jin carefully folded it and handed it to his father to send to the front lines. He knew that this letter, traveling across mountains and rivers, carried his longing and concern for his mother, and would also bring her endless strength.

The fighting on the front lines gradually subsided, but the conflict on the border continued. My mother, my eldest uncle, and Uncle Chen did not return immediately; they needed to remain on the front lines to participate in border defense and the treatment of the wounded.

The days of waiting were still long, but Zhou Jin felt much more at ease. He knew that his family was safe and sound and playing an important role on the front lines. He began to study even harder, not only completing his schoolwork diligently but also using his spare time to read more books, especially those on history and military affairs.

He thought that when he grew up, he wanted to serve the country like his grandfather, maternal grandfather, uncle, and Uncle Chen. He wanted to learn knowledge and master skills so that he could shine on the battlefield or in the field of national development.